Padres rally in 8th after Ross' strong outing

ARLINGTON -- Padres right-hander Tyson Ross didn't get the win, but he turned in yet another strong start and continues to boost his trade value in advance of next month's non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Ross struck out five and gave up just five hits in six innings, and the Padres rallied with a three-run eighth for a 3-2 series-evening win over the Rangers on Tuesday at Globe Life Park. Ross kept the Padres close after giving up home runs to Rougned Odor in the second and Robinson Chirinos in the fourth.

ARLINGTON -- Padres right-hander Tyson Ross didn't get the win, but he turned in yet another strong start and continues to boost his trade value in advance of next month's non-waiver Trade Deadline.

Ross struck out five and gave up just five hits in six innings, and the Padres rallied with a three-run eighth for a 3-2 series-evening win over the Rangers on Tuesday at Globe Life Park. Ross kept the Padres close after giving up home runs to Rougned Odor in the second and Robinson Chirinos in the fourth.

"I felt pretty good, we had a good game plan going in, and I was able to get out of some jams," said Ross, who spent last season with the Rangers. "Unfortunately, the two homers put them ahead, but the offense did a great job coming back late."

San Diego couldn't break through against Texas starter Austin Bibens-Dirkx, who delivered five scoreless innings, but the bats found success against reliever Jake Diekman in the eighth. Wil Myers and Hunter Renfroe each logged RBI doubles and Christian Villanueva provided a sacrifice fly to erase what had been a quiet night offensively for the Padres.

"It was good to get some things going in succession right there," manager Andy Green said. "Overall, just a hard-fought win, which was fun to come back and get."

The Rangers threatened to add to their lead in the sixth when they loaded the bases, but Ross struck out Delino DeShields to end the inning.

"Tyson was great again," Green said. "Loved seeing the punchout to get through the sixth inning right there. That was big for us to give us a chance. ... Tyson right there with his slider was a great matchup, and you're wanting Tyson to have the opportunity to get through that."

San Diego's bullpen continues to be a strength. Matt Strahm struck out two in the seventh, Kirby Yates struck out the side in the eighth and Brad Hand worked the ninth for his 22nd save of the season.

Entering Tuesday, the bullpen owned a 3.53 ERA, which ranked fourth best in the National League and seventh best in the Majors.

"The bullpen shut it down like they've done all year," Ross said.

MOMENT THAT MATTEREDWith one out in the eighth, Manuel Margot saw 13 pitches in his at-bat against Diekman. The at-bat resulted in a pop out in foul territory, but Green said Margot's plate appearance was key in helping to start the rally.

"To me, the at-bat of the game was the Manny Margot at-bat," Green said. "I know he pops up foul, so that's tough to say about an at-bat like that, but how many pitches he fouled off, how hard he made Diekman work, just a tremendous at-bat.

"I think that kind of opened up opportunity for everybody else, and sometimes that gets lost in the shuffle when you don't end the at-bat successfully, but that was a heck of an at-bat."

HE SAID IT"It seemed like a while since we put up some runs. Offensively, we haven't been firing on all cylinders, so it was big to come from behind and kinda steal this one. It seemed like [the Rangers] had the momentum pretty much all game, so it was good for us to pull this one out," -- Eric Hosmer, on the eighth-inning rally

UP NEXTPadres left-hander Clayton Richard will start the rubber game against the Rangers at 5:05 p.m. PT on Wednesday at Globe Life Park. Over his past nine starts, he is 6-2 with a 3.03 ERA and has gone at least six innings in each of those outings. Lefty Mike Minor (5-4, 5.06 ERA) will start for Texas.